Article July 13, 1940 Issue

[Excerpts from outline of work carried on by Committee on Christian Science Activities for the Army and Navy in the San Diego District, California]

One of the most interesting of the joint Christian Science...

One of the most interesting of the joint Christian Science activities carried on by the Christian Science churches on the Pacific Coast is that of the Christian Science Activities for the Army and Navy in the San Diego District, located in San Diego, California.

Packages of Christian Science literature, prepared by the local churches, are distributed by the worker each week to ten army and navy stations in this district, and to an average of thirty-five naval ships in the harbor. These packages are each subdivided into smaller bundles and marked for the various locations on ships and stations where reading material may be displayed or used. An indication of the volume of this work may be obtained when it is stated that about twenty thousand pieces of literature are distributed yearly.

There are located in this vicinity two very large recruit training centers for the navy and marine corps. Young men enlisted for either the navy or marine corps in the entire western portion of the United States are sent here for their preliminary training. Through the co-operation of the naval chaplains on duty at these stations, the names are obtained of all new recruits arriving who, by means of a questionnaire, have indicated that they are interested in Christian Science. These names are sent to the worker, who then calls on them personally to get acquainted, and to make known to them the Christian Science facilities that are available through this activity. Many of these boys are away from home for the first time and the shock of induction into a military regime is sometimes disturbing. They are helped over this initial period of adjustment through advice based on the worker's own experience in military service. Every Sunday, those desiring to attend are taken to one of the Christian Science churches in the city. In this connection an interesting new development has occurred recently. Through the co-operation of the senior chaplain at Washington and the senior naval officer afloat here, and with the permission of The Christian Science Board of Directors of The Mother Church, church services are being held on board one of the naval vessels in the harbor. It is hoped to continue these services at intervals, thus bringing to the men aboard ship the helpfulness of church services.

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